Swansea CitySwansea City have introduced an inclusion room at the Swansea.com Stadium, and the club’s Disabled Supporters Association (DSA) presented the club with new ear defenders.
The inclusion room will be available to supporters who may require a quiet space at home matches during the 2022-23 season and is set to be implemented after consultation with several supporter groups including the Dementia Friends working group and the DSA.
Following the work the club has undertaken behind the scenes during the 2021-22 season to make the stadium a dementia-friendly environment, the room provides the perfect space for fans to utilise if feeling uncomfortable in a stadium environment.
Supporters will be able to attend live matches at the Swansea.com Stadium with the comfort of knowing there is a designated area – should they need it. However, the room is available to any supporter that may require a quiet space.
The space will be monitored by a designated disability liaison steward and provides a safe space with an accessible toilet, a projector to watch the live game, and dignity packs for those who need it.
While some supporters who require a time away from the crowds may prefer to use this room as a quiet space, it will also be possible to watch the match live on a screen projected onto the wall meaning supporters who require the space for any reason don’t have to miss a moment of the match action.
The room is located in the West Stand and, while supporters who feel they may benefit from the use of the space will be recommended to sit in that stand, it will be accessible for anyone in any part of the stadium.
Any supporter who feels overwhelmed by the matchday environment for any reason can gain access to the room by making themselves known to a steward or disability liaison steward.
Cath Dyer, DSA secretary, said: “From personal experience, I know this kind of space can be a very valuable thing. It’s somewhere people know they can feel safe and secure with no questions asked.
“It will be a huge benefit for people. There will be matches that people fly through with no problem at all, or it might be years before they need it, but the fact it’s always there will mean people feel able to attend games because there’s a place of safety they can go to if they need it.
“It removes any worries people might have about going to the games and having to sit there for 90 minutes. There don’t have to be “what ifs” anymore, people can just reach out to their disability liaison steward and go straight to the room – it will take so much pressure off certain people.
“It will certainly help the matchday experience for so many people.”
As well as this, the DSA presented the club with new ear defenders ahead of the new campaign.
The ear defenders will be available for home and away supporters to borrow on matchdays and will be a valuable addition for supporters who can find loud noises challenging.
Supporters will be able to borrow the defenders by speaking to a disability liaison steward on the day, however, numbers are limited so if you know you will need them at a match, the club recommend booking in advance by emailing our disability liaison officer at accessibility@swanseacity.com.
DSA chairman, Andrew Brayley, said: “The DSA exist to make the matchday experience for any disabled fan the best it can be. We have to think of all the different requirements for people with disabilities. Within that, you have people with Autism who struggle with crowds and noises.
“As a committee we decided that we would like to offer ear defenders to supporters who need them.
“It’s about inclusion. If someone is worried about coming to the stadium because of the noise, they don’t need to be concerned anymore. Now, everyone can enjoy watching a game without worrying about that.
“It can make a big difference to someone’s matchday, and we hope this can help to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone regardless of who they are or their disability.”